Árbók Hins íslenzka fornleifafélags - 01.01.1998, Blaðsíða 138

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ARBOK FORNLEIFAFELAGSINS
For years it has been debated in Iceland why 14C dates from the earliest settlement
sometimes give earlier dates than archaeological, geological or historical data indicates.
The archaeologist Dr. Margrét Hermanns- Auðardóttir claimes that this proves there was
an earlier settlement in the 8th century or 100-200 years prior to the traditional settlem-
ent of Iceland in the later half of the 9th century, mentioned in the sagas.
Physicist Dr. Páll Theodorsson also claims, as a support for Margrét’s theory, that if
you believe in the method of 14C dating you have to believe in these early dates as well.
Both have rejected the role of the sample’s own, possibly cönciderable, age at the time of
the archaeological event to be dated. Neither of them have however been able or willing
to explain why most of these early dates corne from samples that were taken above the so
called Settlement tephra layer dated in the Greenland ice core to 871+2 AD. Margrét was
aware of the early charcoal dates above the Settlement layer and therefore dated the
Setdement layer to c. 700 AD or earlier, a date that is now recognized as 170 years too
early. Even though the dating of the Settlement layer destroyed the basis of “the early
setdement theory” it does not seem to have affected Margrét Hermanns-Auðardóttir’s or
Páll Theodórsson’s argument.
The dates of the Víðgelmir site show that dates of early settlements based entirely on
14C datings are not reliable.The author comes to the conclusion that the special circum-
stances that applied when the first settlers arrived in Iceland is the main cause of unex-
pectedly early dates during the setdement period. The settlers were simply using old and
dead firewood that has accumulated undisturbed through centuries. Once the old
firewood was used up and the settlers started to chop fresh wood for burning, the differ-
ence between 14C dates on wood and other dating methods disappears. This explains
why early 14C dates are mostly limited to the settlement period of Iceland.
The author suggests that the cave was a hideout for someone for a few days in the
lOth or 1 lth century.The food remains were from the legs, ribs and the head or the least
meaty parts of a cow, indicating the parts were either stolen or leftovers that were
brought by someone from a nearby farm.
The extraordinary combination of circumstances, the finds, the 14C dates and the age
of the lava field makes the site of Víðgelmir one of the most fascinating and important
archaeological finds in Iceland in recent years.